Ventricular Tachycardia

What Is Ventricular Tachycardia?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a very fast heartbeat caused by a malfunction in one of the heart’s ventricles. It is a pulse of more than 100 beats per minute with at least three irregular heartbeats in a row.

VT can occur with or without heart disease. It can make you feel like your heart is racing. You may tire easily or feel faint.

Treatment depends on the symptoms and the cause. In some cases, no treatment is required. In others, a device might be implanted to stop tachycardia when it occurs. The condition may exist without symptoms, or it can cause sudden cardiac arrest.

Outlook for Ventricular Tachycardia

Untreated VT puts a patient at greater risk for sudden cardiac death. Patients with implanted devices have a good outlook. Once in place, these devices can prevent sudden cardiac death and keep a patient’s heart working properly. Complications from an implanted pacemaker or damage from ablation are uncommon.

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